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Chemical Waste Risk Reduction and Environmental Impact Generated by Laboratory Activities in Research and Teaching Institutions

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Chemical Waste Risk Reduction and Environmental Impact Generated by Laboratory Activities in Research and Teaching Institutions Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences vol. 46, n. 2, abr./jun., 2010 Article Chemical waste risk reduction and environmental impact generated by laboratory activities in research and teaching institutions Elizabeth de Souza Nascimento1,*, Alfredo Tenuta Filho2 1Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of São Paulo, 2Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of São Paulo The environmental impact caused by teaching and research with regard to chemical waste is of increasing concern, and attempts to solve the issue are being made. Education and research-related institutions, in most laboratory and non-laboratory activities, contribute to the generation of small quantities of waste, many of them highly toxic. Of this waste, some is listed by government agencies who are concerned about environmental pollution: disposal of acids, metals, solvents, chemicals and toxicity of selected products of synthesis, whose toxicity is often unknown. This article presents an assessment of the problem and identifies possible solutions, indicating pertinent laws, directives and guidelines; examples of institutions that have implemented protocols in order to minimize the generation of waste; harmonization of procedures for waste management and waste minimization procedures such as reduction, reuse and recycling of chemicals. Uniterms: Laboratory chemical waste/management in universities. Environmental safety. Environmental education. O impacto ambiental acarretado por atividades de pesquisa e ensino no que se refere aos resíduos químicos vem sendo cada vez mais discutido e tentativas de solucionar a questão vêm sendo apresentadas. As instituições de ensino e pesquisa, em quase todas as atividades e não somente as laboratoriais, contribuem para a geração de pequenas quantidades de resíduos, muitos deles altamente tóxicos. Destes, alguns constam em listas de agências governamentais que se preocupam com a qualidade do meio ambiente: descartes de ácidos, metais, solventes, agentes químicos de elevada toxicidade e ainda os produtos de síntese, cuja toxicidade é frequentemente desconhecida. Este artigo apresenta uma avaliação do problema identificando possíveis soluções, a partir da apresentação de legislações pertinentes, exemplos de instituições que vêm implantando protocolos que minimizam a geração de resíduos, sistemas de harmonização de processos de gerenciamento de resíduos e procedimentos de minimização de resíduos, como a redução, reutilização e reciclagem dos produtos químicos. Unitermos: Resíduos laboratoriais/gerenciamento em universidades. Segurança ambiental. Educação ambiental. INTRODUCTION institutions. In the book, the authors stressed the need to implement a practice for the treatment of chemical waste in The environmental impact of chemical waste pro- educational institutions, which in most laboratory and non- duced by teaching and research is a topic that has been laboratory activities, contribute to the generation of small of great concern and discussion for at least two decades, quantities of waste, many of them highly toxic. Some of as illustrated in the book by Ashbrook and Reinhardt this is listed by governmental agencies who are concerned (1985) on the generation of hazardous wastes in academic about the quality of the environment. Examples include the disposal of toxic acids, metals, solvents, chemicals and *Correspondence: E. S. Nascimento. Departamento de Análises Clínicas e also products of synthesis whose toxicity is often unkno- Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São wn. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the composition of Paulo. Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580 - 05508-000 - São Paulo - SP, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] waste from research labs constantly changes according to 188 E. S. Nascimento, A. Tenuta Filho each project being developed. This situation can no longer that of working in a safe, healthy and clean environment, be ignored by academic institutions, and various research in line with the principles of ecology (Armour, 1996). and educational institutions in Brazil are concerned about The United States of America’s legislation related to this problem and are integrating hazardous waste mana- environmental care in educational institutions is the Re- gement into their activities. Some of these activities are source Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), also kno- available in frequent articles published in the Química wn as “Solid Waste” Disposal Act, which came into force Nova Journal, numbering among them articles by: Jardim, in 1976, and is an interesting example of the concern over 1998; Cunha, 2001; Amaral et al., 2001; Afonso, et al., the risks associated to ecological damage. Its objectives are 2003; Alberguini et al., 2003; Bendassolli, 2003; Afonso, to protect human health and the environment, reduce the 2004; Gerbase, et al., 2005; Imbroisi, et al., 2006. There generation of all types of waste, toxic or otherwise, and to are also several books by Brazilian authors addressing the promote the conservation of energy and natural resources. management of chemical waste in universities (Alberguini This law gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency et al., 2005; Figueredo, 2006). (EPA) the power to regulate the disposal of toxic waste in The work by Nolasco et al. (2006), analyses the the U.S.A, and authorization to bring civil and criminal implementation of programs for managing laboratory charges against whoever violates this law. There have chemical waste in Brazilian universities, and states that already been cases of not only industries, but also various several programs are responding to the requirements of the American universities, being charged, condemned and pillars of sustainability and ecological awareness, which subject to severe penalties. According to the amendment to were the main proposals of Agenda 21. The authors also this law, dated October 1990, (USA) individuals charged mention that in the last decade, some of the oldest and most with this type of violation, can be personally prosecuted, prominent Federal and State universities have been adap- convicted and sentenced to imprisonment in State or Fe- ting and establishing proper measures for control waste. deral prisons. Another penalty of significant importance These institutions include the Center for Nuclear to educational and research institutions committing this Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo (Tavares, type of violation, is that they may no longer receive funds 2004), the University of Campinas - UNICAMP (Gerbase or subsidies from government organizations to support or et al, 2005), the Institute of Chemistry of the University sponsor their research. of Rio de Janeiro - IQ / UERJ - (Barbosa et al., 2003), the In 2006, EPA proposed alternative and more fle- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Parana - xible standards for the management of hazardous waste DQ / UFPR (Cunha, 2001), the Institute of Chemistry of generated in academic institutions, as the environmental the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - IQ / UFRGS agency considered that the legislation, which had formerly (Amaral et al., 2001), the Regional Integrated University been established for industries, needed to be adapted in of High Uruguay and Missions - URI (Demaman et al., various aspects. Academic institutions present different 2004), and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ characteristics to those of industry, since the amounts (Afonso et al., 2004). In addition to these sites, other initia- of waste generated are smaller, diverse and distributed tives are being carried out in other educational institutions, across various laboratories, manipulated by students in for example Borghesan et al. (2003), cited the University various situations that are not always supervised by trained of São Paulo, São Carlos, while Mortari (2003) mentioned individuals. Thus, the revised legislation came into force the Franciscan University Center. in 2008 (Monz, McDonough, 2006; Archer et al., 2000). Otenio et al. (2008) also described a case study as- As stated above, although the amount of waste gene- sociated with the management of biowaste for milk at Em- rated in academic institutions is small, less than 1% of the brapa Gado and pools the opinion of researchers, analysts total generated nationally, waste in education institutions and trainees on the problem of waste generated in biological is considered heterogeneous, and may include highly research. The advantages of establishing and maintaining toxic compounds. Therefore, any teaching and research programs for waste management in universities, teaching institution committed to its employees’ and students’ he- and research institutions, both governmental and private, alth must consistently uphold the laws related to workers’ largely outweigh the operational costs that these entail. chemical safety, and laws on management of hazardous One of the most significant advantages is undoubte- waste released by its laboratories. dly the fact that students are taught how to adequately deal The concept of waste minimization encompasses with the waste produced in research and in classrooms, any action that reduces the amount and/or toxicity of thereby minimizing damage to the environment. Moreo- anything to be discarded as hazardous waste. It is therefore ver, another advantage, which should not be overlooked is essential that the waste is properly
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